Retribution
by BlueFox of the Moon
Summary: A year had passed since she was killed. Do you remember that day? Heh, what am I saying; of course you do. I’m sure you could never forget it even if you tried. Especially since that was the day you died too//Related to What Once Was\\AllenLenalee.LaviOC


Written however long ago, finally figured I would put this up here. Related to _What Once Was,_ though can stand alone I guess. Could be a possible sequel to one of the many endings that I have in mind. Erh, continuing on...

Disc; Own nothing except Karen.

* * *

.Retribution.

It's been a year now. Has it really been that long? It doesn't really feel like it at all. But then again, a lot of things change in a year…and at the same time, nothing truly changes at all.

Letting out a sigh, I kneeled down upon the still-wet grass, gently brushing dew away from her gravestone. "Hey…" It was strange, even after all this time, talking to her like this, like she couldn't answer.

She wasn't here anymore.

"I'm sorry I haven't visited in a while…everything's…well..." I sighed. "Everything's spiraling downwards and…almost all the exorcists are gone…we're losing the war right now…" My fingers ran across the letters that lined the stone, biting my lower lip. "But somehow we'll pull through this, right? You don't need to worry…" The letters were blurring, each one mixing into the other until I couldn't deny that I was crying anymore.

"Y-You would've turned…nineteen…this year…isn't that right?" No matter how much I wiped my eyes, I couldn't stop the tears. "I…everyone…everyone misses you…"

"Allen…"

I didn't move; I already knew who it was. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around my shoulders, bringing me into their comforting embrace. I leaned back, allowing gentle fingers to wipe my tears away. "It's okay, Allen…" I could hear it in her voice; she was crying, too.

"I miss her, Lenalee," I whispered. "I miss her so much…"

"I know…" She hugged me tighter, burying her face against my neck. "I miss her too."

Wiping some more tears away from my face, I looked over at the gravestone, her name nearly glistening in the light.

_Karen Walker._

"She didn't deserve to die…"

It's been one year since she died, and yet, today, it feels like she had just died all over again–it was like losing Mana again; the pain in my heart was just the same. It wasn't fair. She didn't need to die, she shouldn't have died, not like that. I should've tried harder, to help them both. But I couldn't do a thing and she died.

I let my sister die.

"Moyashi. Lenalee." I couldn't even find it in me to yell at him. My name is Allen! That's what I wanted to say, flail my arms around and lose my temper with him like I usually would. But he and I both knew that even though I became a General, I would do none of that here. Especially on this day. He would call me a bean sprout, like always, as if nothing was wrong, as if nothing had changed, and for that I was grateful.

"What is it, Kanda?" My voice sounded so far off, my focus only on the place where my sister's ashes remained.

"Mission. All three of us." Letting out another sigh, I nodded and stood, helping Lenalee up as well. "We leave as soon as possible."

Kanda stepped forward, into my line of vision. He had grown taller over the past year, though he was still the same moody samurai as ever, even if his seemingly random bouts of anger had sifted and almost became a rarity. He no longer glared at everyone around him at all times, although he would if anyone came too close. Kanda Yuu was the same, yet different all at once.

I watched as he kneeled, placing a single red rose on the tombstone. It was for her, from _him. _Kanda knew _he _wouldn't be able to come here, so he came to give her that rose instead, in his best friend's place. He remained there for only a few seconds before standing and silently ordering us with those obsidian eyes of his to move. Taking one last glance at her tombstone, at the rose that adorned its surface, I almost felt like crying again. But I didn't.

We had a mission to complete, and I wouldn't let this day hinder me in the least. Lenalee and Kanda were doing the same.

"Bye, Karen…" I whispered and turned around.

I wouldn't let this day hinder me. I wouldn't let anything or anyone hinder me. If only things could really be that simple. I wonder…would the Earl intervene today?

Probably.

Would _he_ be there?

Most likely.

The one who killed my dear sister, the one who meant more to her than anyone other than myself. The one who called us comrades, friends, the one who we never thought could be a Noah.

Lavi.

x-x-x

_Do you remember that day? Heh, what am I saying; of course you do. I'm sure you could never forget it even if you tied. Especially since that was the day you died too._

I sighed, watching the blurs of green and brown and blue pass by. How ironic was it that we going back to the place where Karen died, on the very same day? Someone wanted to spite us. Or maybe there was someone who had a plan, who knows.

"Allen…" I turned at the mention of my name and smiled to the only one I could really smile to. Lenalee was really the silver lining in this horrible place, filled with war and destruction. "You okay, Allen?" Worry was clearly visible in her amethyst orbs and I knew that I was the reason for her concern.

"I'm fine," I told her, taking a hold of her hand and gently squeezing it. She didn't look convinced but didn't say anything more. She didn't need to.

I let my gaze wonder from her beautiful face to the rushing by scenery. Bristol, Britain. Inwardly, I grimaced. I didn't want to go.

Kanda's eyes snapped open and he jumped to his feet. "Get down!" We barely made it to the ground, his arms uncharacteristically around both me and Lenalee protectively, before the entire train shook and the glass broke, showering us with deadly weapons.

"Are…are you both okay?" Lenalee asked, cautiously lifting her head. I nodded while Kanda grunted in response. He got to his feet and headed toward the door, but before he could, the usual sliding door disappeared and instead a door that became so familiar to us appeared. Lenalee and I scrambled to our feet, just as it opened and a grinning face appeared–a face who we all missed so dearly.

"Well, well, it's about time you guys got here," he drawled, his voice still the same as it ever was. A year really didn't do him much physical change: his hair was still the same bright red, if not a bit longer, and his eyes were still the same emerald, although I'm sure _she_ would've noticed the minor details that had taken me, Lenalee, and Kanda, minutes to notice, in an instant. His emerald eyes weren't as bright as they were; they were dulled and empty, as if he was dead. It's said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and if that saying is right, then our friend truly is dead.

No!

I growled and stood in front of my Lenalee, Kanda taking a stance beside me. The redhead laughed a laugh so different than what we were used to hearing from his lips.

"I feel so welcomed, you guys," the redhead grinned and stepped out of the doorway, his darkened skin contrasting with the light. "I know ya missed me."

"Cut the crap, Noah!" Kanda growled. I glanced over at him, about to tell him to hold it, but I realized I didn't have to. If even I could see the pain and hesitation in his eyes, then I knew Lavi could see it as well. No, this wasn't Lavi–not the one we knew.

Our Lavi died on this day, one year ago, alongside my sister.

"Ouch, I'm hurt, _Yuu-chan_." The Noah grinned a grin that reminded me of his 'brother's' and placed a hand over his chest dramatically.

"Don't call me by my first name!" And he attacked. Lavi knew what would get to the older boy; he always did. And with a grin, the redhead stepped aside and, faster than I've ever seen him before, twisted away from Mugen's blade and grabbed Kanda's wrist, throwing him through the doorway.

"Kanda!"

All I heard was Lenalee's scream before everything went black.

x-x-x

"_Allen."_

Who…?

"_Allen. You have to get up. Come on."_

No…I don't want to.

"_You have to. Get up."_

I shook my head and I felt like a child again. So what if I was a general? I was only seventeen, I never asked to be a general, or any of its responsibilities. I just wanted to protect everyone, that's all.

"_I know…but you have to wake up. You have to protect Lenalee and Yuu-chan."_

Yuu…chan? My brows furrowed together and my hands fumbled around in the darkness. There were only two people in the world that I knew of who called Kanda by his given name. "K-Karen?" Where was she? Why couldn't I see her? Wait…how could I even hear her?

"_Idiot._" I could practically see the smile on her face, despite the darkness. _"I'm right here. But you have to wake up."_

"No…" I stood up, or at least it felt like I did. "Where are you? Karen, please, I…" I reached out, trying to find her. She was here, I just knew it. "I don't want to wake up." I was being a child. "Sister, where are you?" I stumbled through the darkness, nearly falling more than once.

"_Allen…you have to get up. You can't stay here."_ A hand touched my own and only then could I see the faintest outline of someone in front of me. My eyes adjusted to the contrast and soon I could see her face clearer and clearer.

"Why not?" I whispered. "If you're here…why can't I stay?"

A small smile placed itself on her face–it hadn't changed at all–and she shook her head. _"It's not your time yet."_ Behind her, translucent wings spread and, just as she wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace, those wings surrounded me too. _"Wake up and help them. And help Lavi…"_ As she spoke, her figure became fainter and fainter, though the small smile stayed in place, her eyes silently begging me to do as she asked. _"Bring Lavi home…"_

And she disappeared.

With a jerk, my eyes snapped open and I bolted upright, completely unprepared for anything that grabbed my throat and pulled me back. Damn, that hurt. Coughing, I tried to regain my breath, just registering the fact that someone was calling me.

"Allen!"

"Oh, stop fussing. He'll be fine. He's been through worse, after all."

I knew that voice. Regaining my breath, I glared at the dark haired male, my hands trying in vain to take whatever the hell was around my neck off. Tyki Mikk grinned, a cigarette hanging from his mouth. "It's about time you woke up, boy."

"Allen, are you all right?" Lenalee called. I turned my attention to her and growled. She and Kanda were trapped within a cage, very similar to the one Rhode had trapped her and Chaoji long ago, though this one seemed…stronger. Kanda looked, to be blunt, pissed. Mugen was strangled in what looked like candy-cane vines, far out of Kanda's reach.

I nodded and glared at the Noah of Pleasure, keeping my gaze on him as he wandered away from my comrades and toward a sleeping redhead. "Oi, Lavi. Wake up." Lavi swatted his hand away, mumbling an "I dun wanna."

Tyki rolled his eyes and walked behind the chair before tipping it over. With a yelp, the redhead fell off and lay sprawled on the multicolored floor. "What was that for!?"

"Your guest is awake."

Lavi turned and he grinned, just as his eye landed on me. "Rhode was right, Allen, you do look like a puppy. Especially with that leash on you." He laughed and I growled, carefully grabbing the collar with my left hand.

"Crown Clown," I scowled, "Activate." The collar broke and I jumped to my feet, but before I could get any farther, Lavi was in front of me, his hands laced together behind his head, just as he used to, though there was such a malignant glint in his visible eye.

"Deactivate Crown Clown, Moyashi."

I scowled, "You have no right to call me that." How dare he call me something that only Kanda or Lavi called me? He might look like Lavi, act like Lavi, but he wasn't our Lavi. He wasn't our friend, our comrade–Lavi would never even think of harming Karen! This man in front of me isn't Lavi. He's a Noah; our enemy.

My enemy.

With a cry, I charged, only to be met with none other than Tyki Mikk. "You're playing with me, boy." He grinned and pushed me back, Teaze materializing from the palm of his hand and forming themselves into a sword. "If you die today…then you and your sister would have fallen on the same day. Isn't that nice?"

Anger flooded through me: pure and un-concentrated anger. "Damn you!" I cried, rushing forward. Tyki's grin widened before he too charged forward and we began our deadly dance.

x-x-x

Every time I fought Tyki Mikk it always seems like he's getting stronger and stronger. This time…this time, I don't think I can win. Even the Sword of Exorcism isn't working on him for some reason. Why? Why isn't that working?

"Don't lose your concentration, boy!"

I cried out, blood spurting forth from both my newly acquired wound and my mouth. Damn it, that hurt. Grunting, I tried to right myself up again, but he was beside me before I could, and kicked me against my already bruised stomach.

Lenalee cried out, kicking the cage that prevented her from coming to my side. She was screaming at Lavi the entire time, while he laughed and told her it was useless. It wasn't useless. If Tyki actually killed me…what would happen to her and Kanda? I couldn't let anything happen to them.

But I couldn't even get up. How could I defeat that Noah when I could barely move my arms? I scowled. No. I had to; I had a promise to keep, even if made to a figment of my imagination. I made a promise to _her_, imagined or not, and I intended to keep it.

Somehow I pulled myself up and propelled my aching body toward the Noah that had been intruding upon my life for nearly two years now. He was hurt too, but definitely not as badly as I was. He smirked and outstretched his arms, welcoming my attack.

You know how almost everyone says climactic moments such as these happen in slow motion? They're wrong. They're so, so wrong. I didn't even know what happened; all I could register was the pain that engulfed me. I could barely hear Lenalee's screams calling out to me, and I swore I thought I heard Kanda yelling too.

The bond that connected myself and Crown Clown broke; the Sword disappearing from my grasp and reappearing as my bloody and battered left arm. Focus, Allen, get up. You have to…get up. Come on! Try as I might, I couldn't even bring myself to lift my arm.

Tyki Mikk chuckled as he stood over me, that superior grin of his sending yet another course of anger through me, but this time, it didn't help me at all. I couldn't move. Was…was this really the end? He lifted his hand, about to strike, brandishing his Teaze-infected sword.

"This is goodbye, boy."

I shut my eyes and braced myself for the pain. Even if I was surrounded by pain already, if he pierced my heart…would I even feel it? Or would I die right away? What am I saying, this is Tyki, of course he was going to make it as painful as possible. So then…why couldn't I feel anything?

Something wet and sticky –_blood?_–dripped onto my face, mixing in with my own; I could feel it. Slowly, cautiously, I opened my eyes, and was met with a sight I never expect to see.

"You…o-okay, Al-Allen?"

Lavi was crouched over me, protecting me, with a hole in his chest where his heart should have been. A Teaze–those disgusting excuse for a butterfly–was pulled away from the hole, brought back by its surprised owner.

What…was going on?

"L-Lavi…?"

A screamed pierced the air and I could barely see Tyki's head past the redhead's shoulder, moving toward its source. Within a second, his dark hair was gone and in the background I could hear him and the Noah of Dreams arguing, the little girl struggling against her brother. I guess they were escaping through a doorway or something, but none of that mattered. My attention was on the redhead, and on him alone.

"Why…?" I whispered, absently noticing the trail of blood that soaked his clothes and trickled down his chin. "A Noah…why would a Noah protect me?"

Lavi restrained a cough, a grin playing on his lips. "Let this be my retribution, Allen…" he murmured, his single eye burning into my own. And it was then I understood: this wasn't the Noah of Knowledge, this wasn't our enemy anymore. Our Lavi was back…and he was dying.

"Hana-chan…Karen would hate me all the more…if I allowed her precious little brother to die…" He coughed, blood sputtering past his lips. "I'm…so, so sorry…for everything…" Lavi couldn't hold himself up anymore, and he collapsed, practically right on top of me. I cried out, both in pain and in worry.

"Lavi!" I struggled to get up, using the wall near me to bring myself up. As soon as I was sitting upright, with Lavi's head on my lap, did Lenalee and Kanda come over, having finally escaped the cage that held them.

"Allen, are you–" Lenalee stopped mid-sentence as soon as she laid eyes upon our friend. "La…vi?" She kneeled down beside us, her trembling hand moving his bangs out of his face. Lavi grunted in pain before opening his eye. He managed a small smile towards her.

"H-hey…long time…no see…"

Tears filled Lenalee's eyes and she hurriedly wiped them away, her other hand gently grasping the redhead's hand in her own. "Lavi…"

His emerald eye trailed from her to his best friend, who kneeled down beside him opposite of Lenalee. "Sorry, Yuu…chan…I–"

"Just shut up, you baka usagi." I couldn't see his eyes, his expression, but Lavi could. He smiled a bitter smile and coughed yet another spout of blood, clutching the gaping hole in his chest. "We have to get him out of here, now!"

I don't think any of us needed Kanda's order, but we were stopped from doing anything from the person who we wanted to help. Slowly, Lavi shook his head and smiled, up towards the ceiling above us. "It's…okay," he murmured, "I…don't deserve…anything from you guys…I…"

"Lavi, don't talk," I managed to croak out, my throat constricting against my will. "You'll…you'll be okay."

He closed his emerald eye before slowly opening it again, and when he did, it was cloudier, the shine almost gone. "I won't." And we knew he was right. "Karen…" he whispered and I bit my tongue. "One year…today…" I nodded. He closed his eye again, a solitary tear running down his pale cheek. "I'm sorry…I…I took her away…" His voice nearly cracked and none of us knew what to do. There was nothing to say, nothing that could even soften the situation that he was in.

"I'm sorry…for everything…" He closed his eye. "I don't…deserve your forgiveness…"

I gently gripped his shoulder, inwardly shuddering as my fingers felt how cold he was becoming, even through the fabric of his shirt. "Don't talk like that…"

"The one who doesn't deserve forgiveness is the Noah, not you…" Lenalee whispered, her grip tightening ever so slightly on his hand.

"So just shut up." Kanda gently gripped his forearm, silently begging him to stay with them. He didn't want to lose his best friend, just when he got him back.

A small, bittersweet smile crossed the redhead's face, but he still did not open his emerald eye. "Sorry…" he whispered, "I'm lucky…to have met you…" Yet another tear cascaded down his cheek and I bit my lip. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't really be…

"Lavi?" No answer. "Lavi." Again, nothing. "Lavi, this isn't funny." Realization dawned on each of us and no one could believe it. "Lavi…" And I cried. Lenalee broke down, grasping his still warm hands, refusing to let go. Kanda bowed his head, refusing to make a sound, before he stood and walked away, grieving in his own way.

On this day, one year ago, Karen died. Today, the one who killed her, who she loved so dearly, the one who she couldn't hate even on her deathbed, died. In order to protect me, he gave his life, and was granted freedom from the Noah that forced him to kill the one he loved. One year ago, Karen died, and exactly one year later, Lavi died as well.

_You died protecting me._

x-x-x

_Where…?_ Nothing. There was nothing here; nothing but pure darkness. I couldn't even see my hands in front of my face. Were they even in front of my face? I couldn't tell.

"Where am I?" I wondered aloud. Immediately I questioned why I even bothered saying it out loud; it didn't matter. There was probably no one here.

"Can't say that I know…"

Okay, scratch that. So there was someone else here besides myself.

"Who are you?" I turned my head, trying to find the source of the voice, despite the darkness. If I could hear the voice becoming louder, just a bit, then maybe…

"Heh, take a guess." I knew that voice; why couldn't I place a name, a face, to it? "Come on, Allen, you can't have forgotten me that quickly." If I was sure I wouldn't accidentally poke my eye out or something idiotic like that, I would've hit myself for being so stupid. That voice…how could I _not_ have realized it?

"Lavi?"

"Finally." I could practically see the smile in his words. "Took ya a while, Moyashi."

"My name is Allen!"

"I know."

And just like that, it was as if the past year never happened, but just as that feeling came, it went away. Here in the darkness, the situation couldn't have been any clearer. What was going to happen to us now? Where were we?

"Is…is this death?" Lavi asked.

I could only frown, especially since I had no idea. Is this really what death felt like? Nothing? Nothing but darkness and…emptiness? "If this is really death…why am I here? I didn't die, did I? I mean, you protected me so…" Images of my mangled body came to me: all the blood I had lost, my injuries…could I have died because of those? Did Lavi die in vain?

No, I couldn't think like that. There just had to be another reason why I'm here, why we're both here. But if I really am dead…what happened to Lenalee? And Kanda? Did they make it out okay? I hope they did. If anything happened to my Lenalee…

I guess I was too focused on my reverie that I didn't notice the slowly emerging light. How I missed that, I had no idea, but only as it got brighter and brighter did I notice it. At first I could stand the light but soon I couldn't stand it: it was almost like looking directly at the sun, or something close to it. But then why did it seem like the light was losing its intensity?

Lowering the arms that I didn't even know I lifted, my eyes adjusting to the light, I realized I was able to finally see myself. No blood, no injuries, nothing. I was perfectly fine. With that, I looked up, my gaze searching for the one other person I knew that was here.

When I saw Lavi, however, he wasn't looking at me. He wasn't even looking at himself, to see if he was actually in one piece or not, like I expected him to do. Instead, his gaze was on the light and…were those tears in his eye?

What?

I turned toward the light and when I did, I swore I was seeing things. But I knew I wasn't. Coming from the light–no, the light was coming from her, I'm sure–was Karen. She looked exactly the same as she had before she died, exactly the same as the last time I thought I saw her–in the place so similar to what this place looked like before.

She wore all white, her dark hair contrasting greatly, her wings floating behind her. I wanted to say something, I really did, but I knew I shouldn't. A small smile appeared on my lips and I watched as the two who were forbidden to be together were reunited.

"Karen," Lavi whispered, taking a small step towards her, his arms reaching out to greet her.

Karen smiled, reaching out and grabbing on to his outstretched hands. _"Hi there,"_ she whispered, just as soft. I was surprised I could even hear them at all, but I wasn't complaining. Lavi wrapped an arm around her, letting her wind her now free arm loosely around his neck. It was like he was holding her up, as if in an ethereal dance.

"_I missed you,"_ Karen said, placing a hand against his cheek. Her smile grew, just a bit, as a single tear ran down Lavi's cheek and she brushed it away. _"Why are you crying, Lavi?"_

Lavi could only choke out a laugh, shaking his head before regaining his courage and looking up at her. "Don't you hate me?"

"_I could never hate you. For anything."_

"But I–" He was silenced, Karen placing a finger onto his lips. She was smiling. I don't think I've ever seen her smiling this much…but then again I never saw her with so much happiness in her eyes, so much joy–in Lavi's eye too.

"_I don't blame you. I never blamed you…I never hated you, not once."_

Lavi bit his lip, closing his eye before he buried his face against her neck, wrapping both his arms around her. "Hana-chan…"

If it was possible, Karen's smile grew. It's been a year since she's been called that secretly loved nickname; of course she'd be happy to hear it coming from him again. I watched as she pressed her lips against his head, whispering,

"_It's time to go home, Lavi." _

Lavi looked up at her, for some reason not panicking as she started to rise into the light. "Home?"

She took his hands in hers, giving them a gentle squeeze. _"You'll love it. Trust me."_ Lavi could only smile and nod, and slowly he too began to rise.

I briefly wondered if I should say something, but at the same time I still felt like I shouldn't. But before I could even try and decide what to do, my sister turned to me and smiled.

"_Thank you, Allen,"_ she said. _"Thank you so much."_ There were tears in her eyes, and I knew they were grateful, happy tears. _"It's not your time yet, little brother. Go back to Lenalee; go back to everyone. Take care of them and yourself."_ And suddenly she was closer than I remembered and she reached out, cupping my cheek in her hand. It was warm, so warm…just like before. _"I love you, Allen, don't ever forget that."_ How could I? _"Take care…thank you…"_ And she kissed my forehead.

The last thing I really remembered was her smile, and the way she and Lavi looked so happy together. Finally, they were able to be together, even if it was only in death. That's something, isn't it?

x-x-x

You know that feeling when you know you're asleep, but not completely awake? That…pretty much sums up what I was feeling. Slowly, my senses came to me: the feel of soft covers under my fingertips, the slight stuffiness of the air around me, and the texture of something wet falling down my cheeks. Was I crying?

Did I…dream everything that I had just seem? No, there was no way that could've been a dream. Then…I was crying because–

"Allen?!" Lenalee? "Allen, what's wrong? Can you hear me?" Yes, I can hear you. Lenalee's all right…When I tried to speak, my voice was softer than I ever remembered it to be.

"L-Lena…?"

Overwhelming joy was in her voice as she took my hand in hers. "Yeah, it's me…Open your eyes, Allen." It took me a while, but, finally, I was able to. "Allen…why are you crying? What's wrong? Does it hurt anywhere?"

I shook my head, a smile forming on my lips. Lenalee blinked, surprised, before reaching over and brushing my tears away with her thumb. "Then why are you crying?" Closing my eyes, I leaned into her touch, my own hand enclosing her own.

"They're together again, Lenalee. They're happy together…nothing…can rip them apart now."

She wrapped her arms around me, and I had a suspicion that Kanda was leaning on the door, probably scowling at our display. But he wouldn't leave. He heard what I had just said, and I knew he was happy, even if he didn't show it.

Who couldn't blame him?

One year ago, my dear sister died. On the exact same day, one year later, her killer died protecting another. Karen was killed by the person she loved, and Lavi died protecting someone Karen loved dearly. They were separated by death, but now, there's nothing to separate them ever again. They were going to be together for all eternity, watching over us.

And it was because of a strong will to fulfill a retribution that never really needed to be done.

* * *

_[.o6o4o9.]_


End file.
